There are plenty of threads recommending (or not) tradespeople and their services. Is there any way of warning other tradespeople about unscrupulous customers who are difficult, unpleasant and / or poor payers?

Having recently worked for someone who has taken weeks to pay a large bill (which included sanitary ware items and tiles paid for by me) and has then deducted an arbitrary amount from the bill (£200) for reasons such as "didn't remove sticker from toilet" and "rang to ask question before 8am" - when the question had been asked twice before and remained unanswered and the job could not proceed without the information - I have since discovered that several local businesses are aware of this particular customer, having worked for her before, and say they would never work for her again.

Had I known, before taking on the job, that this customer had a reputation for not paying on time and making excuses for cutting her final bill, I would not have agreed to work for her. It has been a costly and unpleasant experience.

Is there no way of warning other tradespeople against working for people like this?

You won't be allowed to name and shame on the forum unfortunately. Of course if she found you through the forum then anyone interested would be able to look at your previous posts and figure it out...

Why not issue court proceedings for the underpayment, it will cost you about £35 to start the process and chances are she'll pay up when she receives the notice from the court about the action being taken.

Didn't think I would be able to name and shame on here - just think there ought to be some system to protect tradespeople.

This was not a forum contact btw so please don't anyone assume the customers I have had contact with from this site are my nightmare payer - all have been perfectly pleasant and honest - thanks!

There are plenty of threads recommending (or not) tradespeople and their services. Is there any way of warning other tradespeople about unscrupulous customers who are difficult, unpleasant and / or poor payers?

Having recently worked for someone who has taken weeks to pay a large bill (which included sanitary ware items and tiles paid for by me) and has then deducted an arbitrary amount from the bill (£200) for reasons such as "didn't remove sticker from toilet" and "rang to ask question before 8am" - when the question had been asked twice before and remained unanswered and the job could not proceed without the information - I have since discovered that several local businesses are aware of this particular customer, having worked for her before, and say they would never work for her again.

Had I known, before taking on the job, that this customer had a reputation for not paying on time and making excuses for cutting her final bill, I would not have agreed to work for her. It has been a costly and unpleasant experience.

Is there no way of warning other tradespeople against working for people like this?
Thats just ridiculous :loopy:

It happens more than you think. Ask anyone who works in the County Court and ask if there is more business's taking customers to court than customers taking business's to court and you will find the answer is the former.

On the other hand, under my terms of contract the warranty was void if the full invoice value had not been paid. Not that anyone needed to claim under the warranty but sometimes what goes around comes around.

Remember, there are rogue builders and there are rogue customers!

Take something out worth £200 pound.
Landlord decided not to pay us for a boiler, went round tennant let us in, started to remove boiler landlord paid ten minutes later. I would failing that take here to court and tell her you a prt of a local trade oranisation and that you black list her.

What's the legality of gaining access and removing something that has been fitted. It sounds awfully like being an unlicensed bailiff and taking something for a debt that a court hasn't confirmed...

We could threaten her with court action but I think our best option is to accept her payment (minus the £200) and explain that by paying less than the agreed amount, she has broken her contract with us and therefore forfeited her guarantee (one year on all parts and labour). At least that way we know we never have to have contact with her in the future. I just hope no one else gets stung in the same way - I get the feeling she does this a lot!

I think you can get done for criminal damage - even if the items have been paid for by you - once they are in someone else's property...9/10ths of the law and all that.

We could threaten her with court action but I think our best option is to accept her payment (minus the £200) and explain that by paying less than the agreed amount, she has broken her contract with us and therefore forfeited her guarantee (one year on all parts and labour). At least that way we know we never have to have contact with her in the future. I just hope no one else gets stung in the same way - I get the feeling she does this a lot!

Why not just start the court action?
https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome
If the site wasn't down right now you could do it here.

Bank the cheque you have, wait till its cleared and then send her a 'letter before action' requesting the unpaid amount, wait 7 days and then submit claim online.

I believe the goods belong to you until they are paid for,just take her to court,moneys hard come by at the best of times ,these people get rich by doing this,teach her a lesson and scare her.

It would be nice if we had the cheque - at the moment we are told it is "in the post" but, as our surname is mis-spelt throughout her latest email correspondence, I am sure the cheque will be too and therefore be unbankable. With almost £2500 outstanding we need to get it safely into our account before we do anything else.

How do courts decide on matters such as supposed damage done to carpets? I know it was damaged before I started (rental property) but I can't prove it...feels like too much hassle to continue a very unpleasant episode.

You may find that you have to state that goods remain your property until paid for in full into your contract, otherwise you could be sued for criminal damage and theft.

Regarding your cheque. If you cash it then try and claim the shortfall in court, you will probably lose. By cashing the cheque you accepted her new terms.

Thank you - all of you for your advice - let's hope the cheque comes and I can cash it - then I will be well rid.

Regarding your cheque. If you cash it then try and claim the shortfall in court, you will probably lose. By cashing the cheque you accepted her new terms.

Only if she'd made it clear it was 'in full and final settlement', surely?

she also has to prove that you damaged her property and she wont have took photos before and after,try to gather evidence from other builders,the county court is informal and is used to dealing with these people,why should you be out of pocket go for it,I never let anyone owe me money when I was in business.

There was a solicitor on the rony robinson radio show talking about issues like this. If you have agreed a price and completed the job then if there are issues the customer must give you the chance to put these issues right. They must make the complaint in writing within a reasonable time. The customer cannot choose a random price to knock off the bill. You should cash the original cheque and then sue for the difference.even if you sign in full settlement for the amount its not legally binding as you were signing under duress.

I've been through the same thing about 2 years ago. Called out on an emergency one saturday to a broken and nasty overflowing saniflow. Landlord owned property who agreed to the verbal and written quote. He deducted £300 from the final bill for damage to a nearby shower enclosure. Like you Adam the damage was already there and he was just pulling a fast one.

First cheque arrived unsigned (he forgot!!) so i sent a reminder letter with copy of original written quote and i eventually got the cheque but still minus £300. That £300 was in his opinion what it would cost to replace cracked tiles in the shower which was due to poor workmanship of either him, his mate/brother, or another plumber.

I waited for the cheque to clear and then after taking some advice filled a small claims online. I wrote him a nice letter saying that if i didn't receive full and final payment i would submit the claim. As said that was 2yrs ago..... in January i received a letter and phone call from him as he received both a court invite and had been blacklisted. End of March i got a cheque from court for the full amount plus some interest.

It's taken a while but a good result. Make sure that you follow the procedures and inform that person with a letter on what you intend to do. gives them a chance to think about paying you. KEEP all your invoices, and all letters as the court needed to see all my correspondence. Court beleived that i had not done the damage as

1. he did not give me any option to make good
2. did not approach me to settle the damage through my public liability insurance (prob cos he knew my insurance would see through his scam)

I've been through the same thing about 2 years ago. Called out on an emergency one saturday to a broken and nasty overflowing saniflow. Landlord owned property who agreed to the verbal and written quote. He deducted £300 from the final bill for damage to a nearby shower enclosure. Like you Adam the damage was already there and he was just pulling a fast one.

First cheque arrived unsigned (he forgot!!) so i sent a reminder letter with copy of original written quote and i eventually got the cheque but still minus £300. That £300 was in his opinion what it would cost to replace cracked tiles in the shower which was due to poor workmanship of either him, his mate/brother, or another plumber.

I waited for the cheque to clear and then after taking some advice filled a small claims online. I wrote him a nice letter saying that if i didn't receive full and final payment i would submit the claim. As said that was 2yrs ago..... in January i received a letter and phone call from him as he received both a court invite and had been blacklisted. End of March i got a cheque from court for the full amount plus some interest.

It's taken a while but a good result. Make sure that you follow the procedures and inform that person with a letter on what you intend to do. gives them a chance to think about paying you. KEEP all your invoices, and all letters as the court needed to see all my correspondence. Court beleived that i had not done the damage as

1. he did not give me any option to make good
2. did not approach me to settle the damage through my public liability insurance (prob cos he knew my insurance would see through his scam)

dead right give then some grief,let them have few sleepless nights.

I just followed the small claims advice. I'm glad i kept all my invoices and letters including the ones i sent to him. didn't think i would get back the money owed and had almost forgot about it.....even though it makes me mad each time i pass his properties.

Then out of the blue...a result. In times like these being a landlord and having a poor credit history has got to hurt.

Advice was good about writing in to quote some terms and conditions about goods remaining your property until paid for in full

that will teach her,and maybe you have learned something from this,be tenacious and dont let them win ,think of the hard work that you did and they did not.Wher money and bussiness are concerned never give in if you are in the right.